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“I sure fucking hope so.”
After a chorus of goodbyes, I finally left my office feeling lighter than I had in a long time. Now the only thing I had to worry about was Delilah.
An hour later, I walked through the front door. In a rush to see her, I left my jacket and bag in the SUV.
“Sweetheart, are you—”
Before I could finish my sentence, someone lunged at me and hit me with a punch to the face that sent me reeling backwards.
Chapter 26 - Delilah
After I stormed inside and Dean followed me, I apologized for what I said and tried to talk to him, but he wasn’t having it. His focus was Sebastien and he wanted his head on a spike. He felt betrayed by both of us, not so much that he wasn’t invited since he was in rehab, but the fact that neither one of us thought it was necessary that my only relative wasn’t notified of the biggest event in my life.
I had left him fuming downstairs and I went upstairs to rest. My stomach felt more settled and I drifted off to sleep. Suddenly, I heard something break. It sounded like a table shattering. I flew out of bed and got to the top of the stairs and Dean and Sebastien were fighting below.
I raced down the stairs and tried to pull Dean off Sebastien. Even though six weeks had passed since his accident, Sebastien’s shoulder still needed time to heal the last thing he needed was to be in a fight.
“Dean, get off of him! Stop it!”
Sebastian had kicked Dean, and I moved out of the way just in time for Dean to fly backwards and hit his back against the sofa.
As Sebastien marched towards Dean, I placed myself between him and Sebastien.
“Sebastien! Please, stop this!” I pleaded.
It didn’t seem as though Sebastien heard anything I said until I placed my hand on his chest and he froze. Then he looked down at me. I could see the bruise starting to form on the right side of his face.
Dean stood up and the men stood still.
“Fighting is not going to solve anything. Can we please sit and discuss this?”
Sebastien nodded and focused on me. “How are you feeling?”
I sighed. “I’d feel much better if the two most important men in my life were sitting and not glaring at each other as though they want to kill each other.”
Without a word, Sebastien took my hand in his and lead me to the sofa where, he sat. Dean sat in the armchair opposite us.
“Somebody needs to start talking. Why the fuck didn’t anyone tell me about the marriage, and why are there videos of Delilah dancing like a fucking porn star on the internet?” Dean asked through clenched teeth.
I opened my mouth to speak but Sebastien stopped me. “So, you come into my house to attack me in my home wanting answers? Answers to what? Why you couldn’t protect your sister? Answers to why you decided to not only smuggle drugs for Hawthorne but started to use, knowing damn well you owed that son of a bitch money? Or do you want answers as to why the fuck you decided to hide away in rehab while your younger sister had to face Hawthorne alone until I came into the picture?”
When Dean didn’t say anything, Sebastien continued. I knew he was pissed although he tried to control himself.
“A few months ago, Delilah came to work for me. One night her place was trashed and she told me about your dealings with Hawthorne. Because you weren’t available, they came after her.”
I saw the look of horror on Dean’s face as he looked at me.
“They made her quit the job she loved so much and made her work for them, stripping for rich bastards to pay off your debt. She didn’t do it because she wanted to, she did it because she was protecting your name. Now hers is being dragged through the mud. The fact that you think your sister did it because she wanted to shows how little you think of her. But we were able to get the videos that were posted online removed.”
“You did?”
Sebastien turned and looked at me. “Yes, we did. I’ll tell you everything when we’re alone.”
I nodded as Sebastien turned back to Dean. “As for the wedding part. Delilah and I came up with an agreement. I’d pay off the loan…”
“And I’d pay Sebastien back…”
“I’d pay off the loan, protect her secret and we’d get married to deter Hawthorne from coming after her. He, however, has continued to come after her, but he’s at the end of his rope. My brothers and I are making sure of that.”